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Dana Roode

Off-Campus Network Access

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Many faculty and staff have a need to access UCInet and other network resources from off campus, in particular, scholarly resources licensed by the UCI Libraries and available only to systems which are part of UCInet.

NACS has developed and supports three different ways of connecting to UCInet from off campus:

  1. the lifeline modem pool
  2. the proxy server
  3. the virtual private network (VPN) device.

Modem Pool
The first such service deployed was the “lifeline modem pool.” This is, as the name implies, the resource of last resort. Bandwidth (data throughput) is limited, compared to cable modem or DSL, and there are limits on the amount of time you are allowed to use the service. The advantage is that it can be used from any telephone line in the world (if you are willing to accept long-distance charges).

Proxy Server
The proxy server is a collaborative effort between NACS and the UCI Libraries. Users of the proxy server make web requests as if from on campus, regardless of how they connect to the Internet. However, this service is sometimes slow depending on the number of users simultaneously working through it.

VPN
An alternative to using the proxy server is to use the NACS Virtual Private Network, or “VPN”.

The advantage that the VPN has over the proxy server is that it opens up ALL network resources that require a UCI network address, while the proxy server only addresses Web-based applications. It may also be faster. Finally, the VPN offers a secure connection to campus from outside, commercial, and wireless networks, which are inherently insecure.

It is expected that proxy server and lifeline modem pool users will migrate to the VPN as the preferred way of connecting with campus services which are restricted to UCI address space.

Because the proxy server requires manually encoding each site which is restricted to UCI affiliates, it is difficult to maintain, and it is intended that this service be phased out over the next year.

For more information, please consult the following web pages.

Lifeline modem pool: http://www.nacs.uci.edu/network/modem/
NACS Proxy Server: http://www.nacs.uci.edu/network/proxy/
NACS VPN Information: http://www.nacs.uci.edu/security/vpn.html

Alternative to Proxy Service

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UCI faculty, staff, and students have access to a number of restricted online resources — most notably those licensed by the UCI libraries — such as Scifinder Scholar.

Because these resources are licensed specifically to members of the UCI community, however, access to them is normally limited to systems on the UCI network.

Users, however, sometimes need legitimate access to these resources from off-campus as well. NACS currently offers two services that enable such off-campus access. The proxy service was created a number of years ago, and has been jointly maintained with the UCI libraries. More recently, NACS introduced the Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, offering additional functionality and improved performance.

Using the VPN is easy. Just download the appropriate client from the web address listed below, enter your UCInetID and password, and you are on your way. With the VPN in place, your laptop or home computer is treated as though it were right here at UCI, with all the privileges and access that implies.

Because the VPN is so powerful, flexible, and easy to use, the proxy service will be phased out in favor of the VPN over the coming year. NACS continues to monitor the performance of both services, and has recently performed an upgrade on the proxy server hardware to allow it keep up with the demand as we help users transition to the VPN.

For more information, please consult the following web pages.

ArtsTEC Computer Lab

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ArtsTEC Lab

ArtsTEC Lab

The ArtsTEC Lab is a new computer-equipped classroom developed and maintained by the Claire Trevor School of the Arts and NACS.

Located at AITR 190 (building number 714 on the campus map), ArtsTEC is available for all regularly-scheduled UCI classes. ArtsTEC is equipped with a video projector, a DVD/VHS player, and 23 Macintoshes with Microsoft Office as well as applications such as Final Cut Pro, Photoshop and Illustrator. ArtsTEC is particularly well suited for the digital arts curriculum. The public lab (“Lab A”) in Engineering Gateway which offers similar systems is about to be retired.

When not scheduled for classes, the ArtsTEC is available for general drop-in use. UCInetIDs are required to gain access to the computers. During the school year (Fall/Winter/Spring quarters), lab hours are:

Mon-Thur 9am-9pm
Fri 9am-4pm
Sat 1pm-6pm

For equipment specs or complete list of installed s/w, please see http://www.nacs.uci.edu/computing/labs/artstec190-details.html . If you have any questions, please contact NACS.

Manage Your Password

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An increasing number of network resources are accessible using your UCInetID and password. This is a convenience analogous to a master key, but as with such a key, you want to be very careful to protect it.

You should plan to change your UCInetID password with some regularity, perhaps once a quarter. NACS’s tools for managing your UCInetID have been improved in several ways which will make UCInetIDs more secure, and help you manage your password.

Choosing a password can be a daunting task. You must choose one that no one can guess but you can remember! To make passwords more difficult to guess, the “rules” for a valid password include:

  • Password must be between 6-8 characters.
  • Password must contain at least one alpha character [a-z]. Note that passwords are case-sensitive – they can have both upper and lower case letters.
  • Password must contain at least one non-alpha character, which is neither the first nor last character.
  • Password can’t contain any part of your name, forward or reverse.

The most significant recent change to these rules is that all the standard printable non-alphabetic characters are allowed, and since using such characters makes a password harder to guess or crack, NACS encourages their use.

With a more obscure password, there is always the risk that you yourself will lose your password. NACS now allows you to select a secret “question and answer” that allows you to reset your UCInetID password.

More information about UCInetID passwords is available at http://www.nacs.uci.edu/ucinetid/password.html .

Help for activating or resetting your UCInetID password is at http://ucinetid1.nacs.uci.edu/activate/menu.html .

Microsoft Purchase Deadline

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Many departments at UCI participate in the UC/Microsoft software leasing program known as UC-MCCA. This is a program for acquiring up-to-date Microsoft software at aggressive discounts. For example, a license for Windows XP with Office is less than $40, compared to around $100 for the typical University license. The program allows software updates whenever new versions are released.

The program can only be used by entire organizational units, and costs are proportional to unit size (FTE). This makes the program particularly advantageous for departments with a large number of computers per person, such as units with computer labs. One downside is that this is a subscription (lease) program, and participating units must plan for recurring annual license costs.

This year’s orders under the UC-MCCA agreement must be placed by May 14. For details (package costs, program details, definition of FTE, etc.) or to consult on whether this program would be a benefit to your unit, please contact NACS.